Who is the Special One?

More than a decade ago, the OHS introduced the concept of “special needs” adoptions. These were animals that were older or had a manageable condition and would, by and large, live out normal lives. These pets might require more investment in veterinary care earlier than the majority of the pets we adopt, and so we began adopting them at half the normal adoption fee. Of course, the savings were largely symbolic, since for these and all pets, the cost of adoption is only a small fraction of the lifetime costs of having a pet. But the reduced fee drew attention to the animals that needed that extra push to find a home.

The goal was two-fold. We wanted to find forever homes for these cuties, and we wanted to ensure that adopters clearly understood the additional responsibility that they were taking on.

And it worked. It turned out that there were a lot of people who wanted to adopt a pet that needed them more than the others.

So, here is the thing: we labelled the animals as special, but it turns out that the truly special ones were the kind people who welcomed the neediest into their homes and lives.

Here are a few animals needing special people available at the OHS right now.

Blue is a loveable kitty who enjoys tummy rubs, laser pointers and gazing out the window. Blue has Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or FLUTD and eats a prescription diet to help control and prevent recurrence of the symptoms. Learn more about Blue.

Vern is a sweet and energetic girl who can’t wait to be loved, spoiled and cared for by her new family. Vern has dry eyes and takes mediation to help increase tear production. Learn more about Vern.